The Big Con, Dixie Law Big Winners at Woodbine

The Big Con (GB) rode the rail to victory in the Grey Stakes (G3) Nov. 2 at Woodbine. Gone With Duwyn seized the lead swiftly and then held a two-length advantage over Madagascar, with Big Time Boss in third through an opening panel in :24.65. The Big Con, with Sahin Civaci in the irons, was camped in fifth of seven. It was still Gone With Duwyn on top after a half in :50.21, 1 1/2 lengths clear of The Big Con, followed by Madagascar in third and Big Time Boss in fourth. Civaci, who recently moved his tack to New York, continued to hug the rail with The Big Con into the turn for home as a host of rivals began to close in on Gone With Duwyn. When a seam opened in the two-path straightening for the stretch drive, Civaci gave the Miguel Clement trainee his cue. After striking front with about 250 yards to the wire, The Big Con was soon confronted by Silent Tactic, who came with an energetic outside run. At the wire, The Big Con fended off his foe by three-quarters of a length to earn his first stakes badge. Wembley Avenue, at 83-1, was third, and Buium finished fourth. The final time was 1:46.57. "My only concern was when he got to the lead, he perked his ears forward and put the brakes on me," said Civaci. "I was asking him a lot and he wasn't responding. Once the horse on the outside (Silent Tactic) inched up closer, that's when he responded, and that's when he kicked in again. I had a ton of horse left." Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tony Weintraub, and Brandon Dalinka, the roan colt was bred in England by St Albans Bloodstock. As the 4-5 choice, he paid $3.60 for today's win. Dixie Law Takes Mazarine Stakes Dixie Law, under leading rider Rafael Hernandez, seized control straightening for home en route to a comfortable win in the Mazarine Stakes (G3) Sunday at Woodbine. Bold Time wasted little time in taking early control in the 1 1/16-mile main track event for 2-year-old fillies, as Dyna hounded the frontrunner to her outside through a tepid opening quarter in :25.11, while Dixie Law, making her first start on the Toronto oval main track after a trio of turf races, sat a reserved fourth of six. A half-length ahead of a tenacious Dyna after a half in :50.26, Bold Time continued to lead the way heading into the turn for home, but Hernandez had 2-1 choice Dixie Law ready to roll on the outside. In front by 1 1/2 lengths at the stretch call, the daughter of Tiz the Law out of the Union Rags mare Bit of Dixie confidently carried on in the final yards to notch a 1 1/4-length victory. Vanity bested Katie's Grace by 1 1/4 lengths for second. Backstreet Emma was fourth. The final time was 1:46.71. "We didn't think there was going to be a ton of speed in here," said trainer Dale Desruisseaux. "She is much better when she is tracking horses, so I didn't really want to see her on the lead, so when we were tracking horses down the backside, I was pretty happy. She has been a really nice filly." A homebred for Garland Williamson's Hillsbrook Farms, the bay filly is now 3-0-0 from four starts. "Just like the last stakes race we ran in, we ran against some tough horses," said Williamson. "And these were tough horses to run against today. We think she is a really nice filly and we think that she can run against almost anybody." She paid $6.10 for the Mazarine win.